Willow Smoke (16 page)

“I
need
to
get
back
over
trackside,”
she
said,
drying
her
hands
and
arms
on
a
towel.
“Cassie
has
a
contender
running
in
the
seventh.
Do
you
have
time
to
come
along?”

“Sure.
Is
Travers
a
possible
source
for
buying
some
horses?”

“Maybe.
Her
husband
certainly
is.
That’s
pretty
much
what
Clint
does
full
time.
He
buys
yearlings,
trains
them
and
then
sells
them as two-year-olds or three-year-
olds.”

“Sounds
like
a
guy
I
need
to
meet.”

- o -

“Hurry,”
Daisy
shouted,
grabbing
Nick’s
hand,
nearly
dragging
him
through
a
throng of people. “We don’t want to be
late for the picture.”

“Do
you
always
go
to
the
winner’s
circle
when
your
friends
have
a
horse
that
wins?”

“Of
course,”
she
said,
over
her
shoulder.
“And
they’ll
come
when
Rainbow
wins.
That’s the way it is. It’s family.”

They
both
were
covering
a
lot
of
ground
with
long
strides
when
Daisy
pulled
him
through
the
winner’s
circle
gate.

Cassie
Travers,
her
auburn
hair
glistening in
the
sunshine
and
her
smile
as
wide
as
possible,
waved.
“Hi
there,”
she
said,
beaming
at
Daisy.
The
woman’s
eyes
lowered
to
take
in
Daisy
clutching
the
strange
man’s
hand.
Her
smiled
turned
pasty.

Daisy
dropped
Nick’s
hand
and
stammered,
“Cassie,
I’d
like
you
to
meet
a
friend
of
mine.
Nicholas
Underwood.
Nick,
this
is
Cassie
Travers.”

Nick
pumped
Cassie’s
hand.
“Heard
a
lot
of
great
things
about
you.
Congratulations
on
your
win.”

“Everybody,
look
this
way,”
the
photographer
said.

On
cue,
everyone
in
the
winner’s
circle
smiled.
Then
the
groom
led
the
winner
toward
the
test
barn.
Cassie
joined
Daisy
and
Nick
as
they
walked
back
toward
shedrow.
“You’ve
been
a
stranger,
girl.
Why
don’t
you drop by when you’re not
busy?” She cast a meaningful look at Nicholas Underwood.

“I’m sorry. There’s so
much to tell you. I’ll try to catch up with you later in the week.”

“All right.” Cassie
scowled. “Nice meeting you, Mr. Underwood.”

“Same here,” Nick
replied.

As Cassie returned to
her barn, Nick stuffed his hands in his front pockets. “Why do I get the
feeling that woman doesn’t like me?”

Daisy put her arm
through his and tugged
him
toward
her
barn.
“Don’t
worry
about
Cassie.
She
can
be
overprotective,
particularly
of
me
or
her
kids.”

“Guess I can understand
that. Is that why you don’t work for her anymore?”

“In part. We both knew
it was important
for
me to try out
my wings with another
trainer.
I’ve
learned
a
lot
from
Cassie,
and
she
was
a
big
help
in
my
landing
the
job
with
Sam.”

“But.”

“But
she
can
be
smothering.
And
she’ll
readily
admit
it.
She
can’t
quite
believe
I’m
grown
up
and
on
my
own
now.
Even
though
that’s
what
she
wants
for
me.”
Daisy
stopped
walking
and
turned
to
face
Nick.
“Cassie
and Clint are terrific. Once they
get
to
know
you,
they’ll
love
you,
and
they
have
horse
people
contacts
all
over
the
country.”

“Hope
you’re
right.”
Nick
ran
the
back
of
his
hand
across
his
mouth.
“First
impressions
can
be
quite
misleading.”

- o -

“What
do
you
mean
you
know
what
you’re doing?”
Cassie
Travers
pursed
her
lips,
pacing
rapidly
back
and
forth
in
front
of
Daisy,
who
was
lounging
on
a
hay
bale
in
Cassie’s
shedrow
area.
“The
man’s
old
enough
to
be...”
She
threw
up
her
hands.

Daisy
gave
Cassie
a
lazy
smile
that
she
knew
drove
her
up
the
wall.
This
brought
back
group
home
memories;
she
knew
how
to
play
that
game
well.
Passive
disinterest.
That
was
the
face
she’d
put
on,
and
Cassie’s
Irish
temper
was
in
danger of raging out of control.

“I know what you’re
trying to pull. If you get me torqued off enough, you think I’ll
apologize
and
give
you
credit
for
having
more
brains
than
you
actually
have.”

The
small
spitfire
of a woman was about ready to wear down. At last she came to a halt in
front of her. Cassie tried to glare and then a broad smile overtook her ire. “You
say the man has made you part owner of RainbowBlaze.”

Daisy
nodded.

“He’s
not showering you with all kinds of other gifts

“Nope.”

“I
know how much Rainbow means to you; you must be walking on air.”

“I
am.” Daisy crossed her legs at the ankles. “Being part owner puts a new
perspective on the whole business.”

Cassie
nodded. “I
just worry
for you, girl.
I know how much family
means to you.
Every
time
you
think
you’re
getting
close
to
someone,
they
die
or
kick
you
in
the
groin.”

Daisy
shuttered
her
eyes.

“Don’t try to hide from
me, Daisy Ann
Matthews.
I
know
you
better
than
anyone
on
this
earth. You’re up to something. And
I’m
not
sure
I
like
it.
I
saw
how
you
looked
at
him
and
how
he
looked
at
you.
If
you’re
not
in
the
sack
with
him
yet,
it
won’t
be
long.”

Daisy
blushed,
but
remained
silent.

“I just
don’t want to see you hurt again. Okay. Enough
social work and mom stuff. I can see I’m not making a dent. What is it that you
like about him?”

Drawing
her knees up under her chin, Daisy shrugged. “I’m not totally sure.”

“He
must have a lot of money.”

“Yes,
but that’s not it. I don’t see us having a future, if that’s what you mean. I’m
taking care of my emotions.”